


The Best Bookshop

by Juliette_heronstairs_apples



Series: Soulmates [2]
Category: The Infernal Devices Series - Cassandra Clare
Genre: Alternate Universe - Bookstore, Alternate Universe - Modern Setting, Alternate Universe - Soulmates, F/M, Fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-05-06
Updated: 2019-05-06
Packaged: 2020-02-27 05:07:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 957
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18732199
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Juliette_heronstairs_apples/pseuds/Juliette_heronstairs_apples
Summary: It's Tessa's first time in London, and she's only just moved into her flat, so of course the first thing she does is search for a bookshop. She certainly did not expect the bookshop owner to be the devil he was, though. But maybe she could get used to him.





	The Best Bookshop

**Author's Note:**

> You don't need to read the first part of the series for this. The soulmate mark is the same idea as before: a flower or animal that goes from black and white to full colour the first time you look face on at your soulmate.

London seemed nice, so far. A nice flat. A nice roommate called Sophie. Nice cafés. So on.

But what Tessa really liked was the abundance of bookshops. Most high streets had a Waterstones on them, so if she was in the centre of town she could always find a bookstore somewhere. What she really wanted, though, was a bookstore near her flat.

After two days of searching, she found one that was seemingly perfect. 10 minutes walk from her flat, next door to a café, and rather large while never being too crowded. From what she'd seen peering through the window, it had some good books as well.

But then she met the owner, Will.

He was good looking enough, certainly. Extremely intelligent, and he could be charming when he wanted to be. But the rest of the time he was such a prat. He thought he was so witty, following her through the bookshop making rude comments on her taste in literature. 

And the worst part was that she was pretty sure he was her soulmate. Unless he had been in the way the first time she had seen her soulmate, which was extremely unlikely, and because he always wore short sleeved shirts and his soulmate mark was on his forearm, she had seen his mark: a delphinium, like hers, turn a rich, gorgeous blue. So any hope they weren't bonded was delusion.

"Need any help, Tess?" She turned when she heard him. She had been trying to get a book that was just out of reach, and despite being very tall, Will was just that bit taller than her, so he got it down with ease.

"Wuthering Heights? I'd have thought you'd already have that."

"Wrong book, actually. I was going for the one next to it," she replied coolly.

He looked at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Alright, fine, it was the right book. I have already got it, but this is a much nicer copy." 

Will grinned. "Thank you."

"The compliment wasn't to you. You didn't bind the book, after all, did you?"

"No, but I'll take the compliment anyway."

"I- ugh." Tessa gave up.

He walked with her to the till, and despite absolutely hating him, Tessa found herself pulled into conversation with him like every other day.

"... But it's way they never stick to the book that gets me!" She finished as they reached the till. She paid, he gave her the receipt, and really she should have left, but it would have been rude not to finish the conversation, wouldn't it, so she stayed chatting to him.

Thirty minutes later, the shop began to get busy, and Tessa left, having dodged Will's usual attempt at a parting kiss with a smile.

* * *

The next day, she was back again, searching for something a little more contemporary than Emily Brontë. Will joined her again, suggesting Good Omens, which she scorned vehemently (just to be contrary) and then bought. Again, she stayed, but this time the conversation turned to soulmates.

"What do you think of them?" Will asked, grinning a little, and then she knew he knew.

"I think they're a load of rubbish," she declared, which made a couple turn round angrily. Will seemed to be trying very hard not to laugh.

"But surely you have a soulmate mark? Don't you want a soulmate?" He smiled innocently and then showed her his. "Look, I have a soulmate. I don't think she likes me very much, though," he finished solemnly, and she scowled at him.

"Well, my mark's a tiger, so." She said grumpily. "And it's on my back, so you can't check." 

Will's grin got wider, and she could tell he knew she was lying. "A tiger certainly suits you, Tess," he said, and she swatted him lightly. "Exactly," he murmured softly, and she laughed and pushed him away, because he'd tried to kiss her again. 

* * *

The next day, she was well aware she shouldn't have come back, but she came anyway, and regretfully realised that she couldn't buy anything because she needed to pay her half of the rent. Will offered her a free book anyway, which she declined slightly sadly.

He staggered back, as if injured. "I'm wounded, Tess," and she folded her arms and tried to stop herself from smiling.

"Make it up to me by going on a date with me?" He asked hopefully, but she said no.

* * *

It was the same the day after, and the day after that, and so on. They would be chatting, and he would ask her on a date, and she would always say no.

Until the day she said yes.

He stared at her, as if he couldn't believe his luck, then laughed and whooped and picked her up and spun her around. She was laughing too, swatting him when he picked her up, kissing his cheek when he put her down, laughing again when he blushed.

It was a brilliant date, as well. He took her all round London looking into bookshops and explaining why his was better loudly, offending the owners and making Tessa laugh, and he took her to a cafe where he paid despite her protests, and when he took her home he kissed her gently and thanked her for making him the luckiest man in the world. She admitted they had matching marks, and he chuckled and said he knew, and she knew she was in love. 

"The soulmate marks could have told you that," Will remarked, and she swatted him like she always did, and kissed him again.

* * *

Three years later, waking up next to him, Tessa kissed his bare shoulder and wondered why she'd waited so long to go on a date with him.

 

 

 

**Author's Note:**

> Hi! Thank you for reading, hope you enjoyed. Kudos and comments are much appreciated.


End file.
